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Piliou S, Farman TA, Marini A, Manoharan S, Mastroeni P. Commensal Neisseria cinerea outer membrane vesicles as a platform for the delivery of meningococcal and gonococcal antigens to the immune system. Vaccine 2023; 41:7671-7681. [PMID: 38008665 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.11.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
An affordable, accessible, and broadly protective vaccine is required to tackle the re-occurring bacterial meningococcal epidemics in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as an effective control of multi-drug resistant strains of gonococcus. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) secreted from Gram-negative bacteria represent an attractive platform for antigen delivery to the immune system and therefore for development of multi-component vaccines. In this study, we describe the generation of modified OMVs (mOMVs) from commensal biosafety-level 1 (BSL-1) Neisseria cinerea ATCC® 14685TM, which is phylogenetically close to the pathogenic bacteria Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. mOMVs were prepared from N. cinerea engineered to express heterologous antigens from N. meningitidis (factor H binding protein (fHbp) and Neisseria Heparin Binding Antigen (NHBA-2)) and from N. gonorrhoeae (NHBA-542). Mice immunised with the mOMVs produced antibodies against fHbp and NHBA. The work indicates that mOMV from N. cinerea can be used as a platform to induce immune responses against antigens involved in the protective immune response against meningococcal and gonococcal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavroula Piliou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Theo A Farman
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Arianna Marini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Shathviga Manoharan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK.
| | - Pietro Mastroeni
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
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2
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Borghi S, Antunes A, Haag AF, Spinsanti M, Brignoli T, Ndoni E, Scarlato V, Delany I. Multilayer Regulation of Neisseria meningitidis NHBA at Physiologically Relevant Temperatures. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040834. [PMID: 35456883 PMCID: PMC9031163 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis colonizes the nasopharynx of humans, and pathogenic strains can disseminate into the bloodstream, causing septicemia and meningitis. NHBA is a surface-exposed lipoprotein expressed by all N. meningitidis strains in different isoforms. Diverse roles have been reported for NHBA in heparin-mediated serum resistance, biofilm formation, and adherence to host tissues. We determined that temperature controls the expression of NHBA in all strains tested, with increased levels at 30−32 °C compared to 37 °C. Higher NHBA expression at lower temperatures was measurable both at mRNA and protein levels, resulting in higher surface exposure. Detailed molecular analysis indicated that multiple molecular mechanisms are responsible for the thermoregulated NHBA expression. The comparison of mRNA steady-state levels and half-lives at 30 °C and 37 °C demonstrated an increased mRNA stability/translatability at lower temperatures. Protein stability was also impacted, resulting in higher NHBA stability at lower temperatures. Ultimately, increased NHBA expression resulted in higher susceptibility to complement-mediated killing. We propose that NHBA regulation in response to temperature downshift might be physiologically relevant during transmission and the initial step(s) of interaction within the host nasopharynx. Together these data describe the importance of NHBA both as a virulence factor and as a vaccine antigen during neisserial colonization and invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Borghi
- Immune Monitoring Laboratory, NYU Langone Health, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA;
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Ana Antunes
- MabDesign, 69007 Lyon, France;
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Andreas F. Haag
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, North-Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9TF, UK;
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | | | - Tarcisio Brignoli
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK;
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Enea Ndoni
- Lonza Group AG, 4057 Basel, Switzerland;
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Vincenzo Scarlato
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Isabel Delany
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Vaccines, 53100 Siena, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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3
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Arenas J, Szabo Z, van der Wal J, Maas C, Riaz T, Tønjum T, Tommassen J. Serum proteases prevent bacterial biofilm formation: role of kallikrein and plasmin. Virulence 2021; 12:2902-2917. [PMID: 34903146 PMCID: PMC8677018 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.2003115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilm formation is a general strategy for bacterial pathogens to withstand host defense mechanisms. In this study, we found that serum proteases inhibit biofilm formation by Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Bordetella pertussis. Confocal laser-scanning microscopy analysis revealed that these proteins reduce the biomass and alter the architecture of meningococcal biofilms. To understand the underlying mechanism, the serum was fractionated through size-exclusion chromatography and anion-exchange chromatography, and the composition of the fractions that retained anti-biofilm activity against N. meningitidis was analyzed by intensity-based absolute quantification mass spectrometry. Among the identified serum proteins, plasma kallikrein (PKLK), FXIIa, and plasmin were found to cleave neisserial heparin-binding antigen and the α-peptide of IgA protease on the meningococcal cell surface, resulting in the release of positively charged polypeptides implicated in biofilm formation by binding extracellular DNA. Further experiments also revealed that plasmin and PKLK inhibited biofilm formation of B. pertussis by cleaving filamentous hemagglutinin. We conclude that the proteolytic activity of serum proteases toward bacterial adhesins involved in biofilm formation could constitute a defense mechanism for the clearance of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Arenas
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Unit of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Zalan Szabo
- Research and Development Department, U-Protein Express BV, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jelle van der Wal
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Coen Maas
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tahira Riaz
- Department of Microbiology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tone Tønjum
- Department of Microbiology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan Tommassen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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4
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Ameri M, Nezafat N, Eskandari S. The potential of intrinsically disordered regions in vaccine development. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 21:1-3. [PMID: 34693831 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.1997600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mehrdad Ameri
- Diagnostic Laboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Navid Nezafat
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Department of Pharmaceutical Al Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sedigheh Eskandari
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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5
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Cole GB, Bateman TJ, Moraes TF. The surface lipoproteins of gram-negative bacteria: Protectors and foragers in harsh environments. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100147. [PMID: 33277359 PMCID: PMC7857515 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev120.008745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative pathogens are enveloped by an outer membrane that serves as a double-edged sword: On the one hand, it provides a layer of protection for the bacterium from environmental insults, including other bacteria and the host immune system. On the other hand, it restricts movement of vital nutrients into the cell and provides a plethora of antigens that can be detected by host immune systems. One strategy used to overcome these limitations is the decoration of the outer surface of gram-negative bacteria with proteins tethered to the outer membrane through a lipid anchor. These surface lipoproteins (SLPs) fulfill critical roles in immune evasion and nutrient acquisition, but as more bacterial genomes are sequenced, we are beginning to discover their prevalence and their different roles and mechanisms and importantly how we can exploit them as antimicrobial targets. This review will focus on representative SLPs that gram-negative bacteria use to overcome host innate immunity, specifically the areas of nutritional immunity and complement system evasion. We elaborate on the structures of some notable SLPs required for binding target molecules in hosts and how this information can be used alongside bioinformatics to understand mechanisms of binding and in the discovery of new SLPs. This information provides a foundation for the development of therapeutics and the design of vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory B Cole
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas J Bateman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Trevor F Moraes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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6
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Immunological fingerprint of 4CMenB recombinant antigens via protein microarray reveals key immunosignatures correlating with bactericidal activity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4994. [PMID: 33020485 PMCID: PMC7536418 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18791-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Serogroup B meningococcus (MenB) is a leading cause of meningitis and sepsis across the world and vaccination is the most effective way to protect against this disease. 4CMenB is a multi-component vaccine against MenB, which is now licensed for use in subjects >2 months of age in several countries. In this study, we describe the development and use of an ad hoc protein microarray to study the immune response induced by the three major 4CMenB antigenic components (fHbp, NHBA and NadA) in individual sera from vaccinated infants, adolescents and adults. The resulting 4CMenB protein antigen fingerprinting allowed the identification of specific human antibody repertoire correlating with the bactericidal response elicited in each subject. This work represents an example of epitope mapping of the immune response induced by a multicomponent vaccine in different age groups with the identification of protective signatures. It shows the high flexibility of this microarray based methodology in terms of high-throughput information and minimal volume of biological samples needed. 4CMenB is an approved multi-component vaccine against Serogroup B meningococcus. Here the authors develop a protein microarray for three major 4CMenB antigenic components (fHbp, NHBA and NadA) and describe antibody repertoires in sera from vaccinated infants, adolescents and adults correlating with bactericidal response.
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7
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Vaccines against Meningococcal Diseases. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8101521. [PMID: 33022961 PMCID: PMC7601370 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is the main cause of meningitis and sepsis, potentially life-threatening conditions. Thanks to advancements in vaccine development, vaccines are now available for five out of six meningococcal disease-causing serogroups (A, B, C, W, and Y). Vaccination programs with monovalent meningococcal serogroup C (MenC) conjugate vaccines in Europe have successfully decreased MenC disease and carriage. The use of a monovalent MenA conjugate vaccine in the African meningitis belt has led to a near elimination of MenA disease. Due to the emergence of non-vaccine serogroups, recommendations have gradually shifted, in many countries, from monovalent conjugate vaccines to quadrivalent MenACWY conjugate vaccines to provide broader protection. Recent real-world effectiveness of broad-coverage, protein-based MenB vaccines has been reassuring. Vaccines are also used to control meningococcal outbreaks. Despite major improvements, meningococcal disease remains a global public health concern. Further research into changing epidemiology is needed. Ongoing efforts are being made to develop next-generation, pentavalent vaccines including a MenACWYX conjugate vaccine and a MenACWY conjugate vaccine combined with MenB, which are expected to contribute to the global control of meningitis.
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8
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Natali EN, Principato S, Ferlicca F, Bianchi F, Fontana LE, Faleri A, Pansegrau W, Surdo PL, Bartolini E, Santini L, Brunelli B, Giusti F, Veggi D, Ferlenghi I, Norais N, Scarselli M. Synergic complement-mediated bactericidal activity of monoclonal antibodies with distinct specificity. FASEB J 2020; 34:10329-10341. [PMID: 32725956 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201902795r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The classical complement pathway is triggered when antigen-bound immunoglobulins bind to C1q through their Fc region. While C1q binds to a single Fc with low affinity, a higher avidity stable binding of two or more of C1q globular heads initiates the downstream reactions of the complement cascade ultimately resulting in bacteriolysis. Synergistic bactericidal activity has been demonstrated when monoclonal antibodies recognize nonoverlapping epitopes of the same antigen. The aim of the present work was to investigate the synergistic effect between antibodies directed toward different antigens. To this purpose, we investigated the bactericidal activity induced by combinations of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) raised against factor H-binding protein (fHbp) and Neisserial Heparin-Binding Antigen (NHBA), two major antigens included in Bexsero, the vaccine against Meningococcus B, for prevention from this devastating disease in infants and adolescents. Collectively, our results show that mAbs recognizing different antigens can synergistically activate complement even when each single Mab is not bactericidal, reinforcing the evidence that cooperative immunity induced by antigen combinations can represent a remarkable added value of multicomponent vaccines. Our study also shows that the synergistic effect of antibodies is modulated by the nature of the respective epitopes, as well as by the antigen density on the bacterial cell surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eriberto Noel Natali
- GSK, Siena, Italy.,CERM, Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Silvia Principato
- GSK, Siena, Italy.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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9
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Semchenko EA, Day CJ, Seib KL. The Neisseria gonorrhoeae Vaccine Candidate NHBA Elicits Antibodies That Are Bactericidal, Opsonophagocytic and That Reduce Gonococcal Adherence to Epithelial Cells. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:E219. [PMID: 32414194 PMCID: PMC7349534 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the continuing emergence of multidrug resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae there is an urgent need for the development of a gonococcal vaccine. We evaluated the gonococcal Neisseria heparin binding antigen (NHBA) as a potential vaccine candidate, in terms of its sequence conservation and expression in a range of N. gonorrhoeae strains, as well as its immunogenicity and the functional activity of antibodies raised to either the full length NHBA or a C-terminal fragment of NHBA (NHBA-c). The gene encoding NHBA is highly conserved and expressed in all N. gonorrhoeae strains investigated. Recombinant NHBA is immunogenic, and mice immunized with either NHBA or NHBA-c adjuvanted with either Freund's or aluminium hydroxide (alum) generated a humoral immune response, with predominantly IgG1 antibodies. Antibodies generated by both NHBA and NHBA-c antigens promoted complement activation and mediated bacterial killing via both serum bactericidal activity and opsonophagocytic activity, with slightly higher titers seen for the NHBA-c antigen. Anti-NHBA was also able to block the functional activity of NHBA by reducing binding to heparin and adherence to cervical and urethral epithelial cells. These data suggest that the gonococcal NHBA is a promising vaccine antigen to include in a vaccine to control N. gonorrhoeae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kate L. Seib
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast 4215, Australia; (E.A.S.); (C.J.D.)
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10
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Aston-Deaville S, Carlsson E, Saleem M, Thistlethwaite A, Chan H, Maharjan S, Facchetti A, Feavers IM, Alistair Siebert C, Collins RF, Roseman A, Derrick JP. An assessment of the use of Hepatitis B Virus core protein virus-like particles to display heterologous antigens from Neisseria meningitidis. Vaccine 2020; 38:3201-3209. [PMID: 32178907 PMCID: PMC7113836 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is the causative agent of meningococcal meningitis and sepsis and remains a significant public health problem in many countries. Efforts to develop a comprehensive vaccine against serogroup B meningococci have focused on the use of surface-exposed outer membrane proteins. Here we report the use of virus-like particles derived from the core protein of Hepatitis B Virus, HBc, to incorporate antigen domains derived from Factor H binding protein (FHbp) and the adhesin NadA. The extracellular domain of NadA was inserted into the major immunodominant region of HBc, and the C-terminal domain of FHbp at the C-terminus (CFHbp), creating a single polypeptide chain 3.7-fold larger than native HBc. Remarkably, cryoelectron microscopy revealed that the construct formed assemblies that were able to incorporate both antigens with minimal structural changes to native HBc. Electron density was weak for NadA and absent for CFHbp, partly attributable to domain flexibility. Following immunization of mice, three HBc fusions (CFHbp or NadA alone, NadA + CFHbp) were able to induce production of IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies reactive against their respective antigens at dilutions in excess of 1:18,000. However, only HBc fusions containing NadA elicited the production of antibodies with serum bactericidal activity. It is hypothesized that this improved immune response is attributable to the adoption of a more native-like folding of crucial conformational epitopes of NadA within the chimeric VLP. This work demonstrates that HBc can incorporate insertions of large antigen domains but that maintenance of their three-dimensional structure is likely to be critical in obtaining a protective response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Aston-Deaville
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Emil Carlsson
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Muhammad Saleem
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Angela Thistlethwaite
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Hannah Chan
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Sunil Maharjan
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Alessandra Facchetti
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Ian M Feavers
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK
| | - C Alistair Siebert
- Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Richard F Collins
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Alan Roseman
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Jeremy P Derrick
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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11
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Pantano E, Marchi S, Biagini M, Di Fede M, Nardi Dei V, Rossi Paccani S, Pizza M, Cartocci E. NHBA is processed by kallikrein from human saliva. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0203234. [PMID: 31369555 PMCID: PMC6675046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisserial Heparin Binding Antigen (NHBA) is a surface-exposed lipoprotein of Neisseria meningitidis and a component of the Bexsero vaccine. NHBA is characterized by the presence of a highly conserved Arg-rich region involved in binding to heparin and heparan sulphate proteoglycans present on the surface of host epithelial cells, suggesting a possible role of NHBA during N. meningitidis colonization. NHBA has been shown to be cleaved by the meningococcal protease NalP and by human lactoferrin (hLF), a host protease presents in different body fluids (saliva, breast milk and serum). Cleavage occurs upstream or downstream the Arg-rich region. Since the human nasopharynx is the only known reservoir of infection, we further investigated the susceptibility of NHBA to human proteases present in the saliva to assess whether proteolytic cleavage could happen during the initial steps of colonization. Here we show that human saliva proteolytically cleaves NHBA, and identified human kallikrein 1 (hK1), a serine protease, as responsible for this cleavage. Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) have a distinct domain structure and exist as a family of 15 genes which are differentially expressed in many tissues and in the central nervous system. They are present in plasma, lymph, urine, saliva, pancreatic juices, and other body fluids where they catalyze the proteolysis of several human proteins. Here we report the characterization of NHBA cleavage by the tissue kallikrein, expressed in saliva and the identification of the cleavage site on NHBA both, as recombinant protein or as native protein, when expressed on live bacteria. Overall, these findings provide new insights on NHBA as target of host proteases, highlights thepotential role of NHBA in the Neisseria meningitidis nasopharyngeal colonization, and of kallikrein as a defensive agent against meningococcal infection.
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12
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Masignani V, Pizza M, Moxon ER. The Development of a Vaccine Against Meningococcus B Using Reverse Vaccinology. Front Immunol 2019; 10:751. [PMID: 31040844 PMCID: PMC6477034 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of vaccine antigens through whole genome sequencing (WGS) contrasts with the classical hypothesis-driven laboratory-based analysis of microbes to identify components to elicit protective immunity. This radical change in scientific direction and action in vaccine research is captured in the term reverse vaccinology. The complete genome sequence of an isolate of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) was systematically analyzed to identify proteins predicted to be secreted or exported to the outer membrane. This identified hundreds of genes coding for potential surface-exposed antigens. These were amplified, cloned in expression vectors and used to immunize mice. Antisera against 350 recombinant antigens were obtained and analyzed in a panel of immunological assays from which 28 were selected as potentially protective based on the -antibody dependent, complement mediated- serum bactericidal activity assay. Testing of these candidate vaccine antigens, using a large globally representative strain collection of Neisseria species isolated from cases of disease and carriage, indicated that no single component would be sufficient to induce broad coverage and that a “universal” vaccine should contain multiple antigens. The final choice of antigens to be included was based on cross-protective ability, assayed by serum bactericidal activity and maximum coverage of the extensive antigenic variability of MenB strains. The resulting multivalent vaccine formulation selected consisted of three recombinant antigens (Neisserial Heparin Binding Antigen or NHBA, Factor H binding protein or fHbp and Neisseria Adhesin A or NadA). To improve immunogenicity and potential strain coverage, an outer membrane vesicle component obtained from the epidemic New Zealand strain (OMVNz) was added to the formulation to create a four component vaccine, called 4CMenB. A series of phase 2 and 3 clinical trials were conducted to evaluate safety and tolerability and to estimate the vaccine effectiveness of human immune responses at different ages and how these were affected by various factors including concomitant vaccine use and lot-to-lot consistency. 4CMenB was approved in Europe in 2013 and introduced in the National Immunization Program in the UK starting from September 2015 when the vaccine was offered to all newborns using a 2, 4, and 12 months schedule., The effectiveness against invasive MenB disease measured at 11 months after the study start and 5 months after the second vaccination was 83% and there have been no safety concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - E Richard Moxon
- Department of Pediatrics, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
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13
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Maritan M, Veggi D, Cozzi R, Dello Iacono L, Bartolini E, Lo Surdo P, Maruggi G, Spraggon G, Bottomley MJ, Malito E. Structures of NHBA elucidate a broadly conserved epitope identified by a vaccine induced antibody. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201922. [PMID: 30133484 PMCID: PMC6104945 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisserial heparin binding antigen (NHBA) is one of three main recombinant protein antigens in 4CMenB, a vaccine for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. NHBA is a surface-exposed lipoprotein composed of a predicted disordered N-terminal region, an arginine-rich region that binds heparin, and a C-terminal domain that folds as an anti-parallel β-barrel and that upon release after cleavage by human proteases alters endothelial permeability. NHBA induces bactericidal antibodies in humans, and NHBA-specific antibodies elicited by the 4CMenB vaccine contribute to serum bactericidal activity, the correlate of protection. To better understand the structural bases of the human antibody response to 4CMenB vaccination and to inform antigen design, we used X-ray crystallography to elucidate the structures of two C-terminal fragments of NHBA, either alone or in complex with the Fab derived from the vaccine-elicited human monoclonal antibody 5H2, and the structure of the unbound Fab 5H2. The structures reveal details on the interaction between an N-terminal β-hairpin fragment and the β-barrel, and explain how NHBA is capable of generating cross-reactive antibodies through an extensive conserved conformational epitope that covers the entire C-terminal face of the β-barrel. By providing new structural information on a vaccine antigen and on the human immune response to vaccination, these results deepen our molecular understanding of 4CMenB, and might also aid future vaccine design projects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Glen Spraggon
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States of America
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14
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MacRaild CA, Seow J, Das SC, Norton RS. Disordered epitopes as peptide vaccines. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2018; 110:e24067. [PMID: 32328540 PMCID: PMC7167742 DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The development of clinically useful peptide-based vaccines remains a long-standing goal. This review highlights that intrinsically disordered protein antigens, which lack an ordered three-dimensional structure, represent excellent starting points for the development of such vaccines. Disordered proteins represent an important class of antigen in a wide range of human pathogens, and, contrary to widespread belief, they are frequently targets of protective antibody responses. Importantly, disordered epitopes appear invariably to be linear epitopes, rendering them ideally suited to incorporation into a peptide vaccine. Nonetheless, the conformational properties of disordered antigens, and hence their recognition by antibodies, frequently depend on the interactions they make and the context in which they are presented to the immune system. These effects must be considered in the design of an effective vaccine. Here we discuss these issues and propose design principles that may facilitate the development of peptide vaccines targeting disordered antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A. MacRaild
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal ParadeParkville3052Australia
| | - Jeffrey Seow
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal ParadeParkville3052Australia
| | - Sreedam C. Das
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal ParadeParkville3052Australia
| | - Raymond S. Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal ParadeParkville3052Australia
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15
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Giuliani M, Bartolini E, Galli B, Santini L, Lo Surdo P, Buricchi F, Bruttini M, Benucci B, Pacchiani N, Alleri L, Donnarumma D, Pansegrau W, Peschiera I, Ferlenghi I, Cozzi R, Norais N, Giuliani MM, Maione D, Pizza M, Rappuoli R, Finco O, Masignani V. Human protective response induced by meningococcus B vaccine is mediated by the synergy of multiple bactericidal epitopes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3700. [PMID: 29487324 PMCID: PMC5829249 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22057-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
4CMenB is the first broad coverage vaccine for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B strains. To gain a comprehensive picture of the antibody response induced upon 4CMenB vaccination and to obtain relevant translational information directly from human studies, we have isolated a panel of human monoclonal antibodies from adult vaccinees. Based on the Ig-gene sequence of the variable region, 37 antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies were identified and produced as recombinant Fab fragments, and a subset also produced as full length recombinant IgG1 and functionally characterized. We found that the monoclonal antibodies were cross-reactive against different antigen variants and recognized multiple epitopes on each of the antigens. Interestingly, synergy between antibodies targeting different epitopes enhanced the potency of the bactericidal response. This work represents the first extensive characterization of monoclonal antibodies generated in humans upon 4CMenB immunization and contributes to further unraveling the immunological and functional properties of the vaccine antigens. Moreover, understanding the mechanistic nature of protection induced by vaccination paves the way to more rational vaccine design and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - M Bruttini
- GSK, Siena, Italy.,University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - B Benucci
- GSK, Siena, Italy.,University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - I Peschiera
- GSK, Siena, Italy.,University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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16
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Tommassen J, Arenas J. Biological Functions of the Secretome of Neisseria meningitidis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:256. [PMID: 28670572 PMCID: PMC5472700 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that normally resides as a commensal in the human nasopharynx but occasionally causes disease with high mortality and morbidity. To interact with its environment, it transports many proteins across the outer membrane to the bacterial cell surface and into the extracellular medium for which it deploys the common and well-characterized autotransporter, two-partner and type I secretion mechanisms, as well as a recently discovered pathway for the surface exposure of lipoproteins. The surface-exposed and secreted proteins serve roles in host-pathogen interactions, including adhesion to host cells and extracellular matrix proteins, evasion of nutritional immunity imposed by iron-binding proteins of the host, prevention of complement activation, neutralization of antimicrobial peptides, degradation of immunoglobulins, and permeabilization of epithelial layers. Furthermore, they have roles in interbacterial interactions, including the formation and dispersal of biofilms and the suppression of the growth of bacteria competing for the same niche. Here, we will review the protein secretion systems of N. meningitidis and focus on the functions of the secreted proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Tommassen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jesús Arenas
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands
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17
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Maritan M, Cozzi R, Lo Surdo P, Veggi D, Bottomley MJ, Malito E. Crystal structures of human Fabs targeting the Bexsero meningococcal vaccine antigen NHBA. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2017; 73:305-314. [PMID: 28580917 PMCID: PMC5458386 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x17006021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisserial heparin-binding antigen (NHBA) is a surface-exposed lipoprotein from Neisseria meningitidis and is a component of the meningococcus B vaccine Bexsero. As part of a study to characterize the three-dimensional structure of NHBA and the molecular basis of the human immune response to Bexsero, the crystal structures of two fragment antigen-binding domains (Fabs) isolated from human monoclonal antibodies targeting NHBA were determined. Through a high-resolution analysis of the organization and the amino-acid composition of the CDRs, these structures provide broad insights into the NHBA epitopes recognized by the human immune system. As expected, these Fabs also show remarkable structural conservation, as shown by a structural comparison of 15 structures of apo Fab 10C3 which were obtained from crystals grown in different crystallization conditions and were solved while searching for a complex with a bound NHBA fragment or epitope peptide. This study also provides indirect evidence for the intrinsically disordered nature of two N-terminal regions of NHBA.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Antibodies, Bacterial/chemistry
- Antibodies, Bacterial/genetics
- Antigens, Bacterial/chemistry
- Antigens, Bacterial/genetics
- Antigens, Bacterial/immunology
- Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins/chemistry
- Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins/immunology
- Binding Sites
- Carrier Proteins/chemistry
- Carrier Proteins/genetics
- Carrier Proteins/immunology
- Cloning, Molecular
- Crystallography, X-Ray
- Escherichia coli/genetics
- Escherichia coli/metabolism
- Gene Expression
- Genetic Vectors/chemistry
- Genetic Vectors/metabolism
- HEK293 Cells
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments/chemistry
- Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments/genetics
- Intrinsically Disordered Proteins/chemistry
- Intrinsically Disordered Proteins/genetics
- Intrinsically Disordered Proteins/immunology
- Kinetics
- Meningitis, Meningococcal/immunology
- Meningitis, Meningococcal/microbiology
- Meningitis, Meningococcal/prevention & control
- Meningococcal Vaccines/chemistry
- Meningococcal Vaccines/immunology
- Models, Molecular
- Neisseria meningitidis/chemistry
- Neisseria meningitidis/immunology
- Peptides/chemical synthesis
- Peptides/chemistry
- Protein Binding
- Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical
- Protein Conformation, beta-Strand
- Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
- Recombinant Proteins/chemistry
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/immunology
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18
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Fantappiè L, Irene C, De Santis M, Armini A, Gagliardi A, Tomasi M, Parri M, Cafardi V, Bonomi S, Ganfini L, Zerbini F, Zanella I, Carnemolla C, Bini L, Grandi A, Grandi G. Some Gram-negative Lipoproteins Keep Their Surface Topology When Transplanted from One Species to Another and Deliver Foreign Polypeptides to the Bacterial Surface. Mol Cell Proteomics 2017; 16:1348-1364. [PMID: 28483926 PMCID: PMC5500766 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m116.065094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In Gram-negative bacteria, outer membrane-associated lipoproteins can either face the periplasm or protrude out of the bacterial surface. The mechanisms involved in lipoprotein transport through the outer membrane are not fully elucidated. Some lipoproteins reach the surface by using species-specific transport machinery. By contrast, a still poorly characterized group of lipoproteins appears to always cross the outer membrane, even when transplanted from one organism to another. To investigate such lipoproteins, we tested the expression and compartmentalization in E. coli of three surface-exposed lipoproteins, two from Neisseria meningitidis (Nm-fHbp and NHBA) and one from Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa-fHbp). We found that all three lipoproteins were lipidated and compartmentalized in the E. coli outer membrane and in outer membrane vesicles. Furthermore, fluorescent antibody cell sorting analysis, proteolytic surface shaving, and confocal microscopy revealed that all three proteins were also exposed on the surface of the outer membrane. Removal or substitution of the first four amino acids following the lipidated cysteine residue and extensive deletions of the C-terminal regions in Nm-fHbp did not prevent the protein from reaching the surface of the outer membrane. Heterologous polypeptides, fused to the C termini of Nm-fHbp and NHBA, were efficiently transported to the E. coli cell surface and compartmentalized in outer membrane vesicles, demonstrating that these lipoproteins can be exploited in biotechnological applications requiring Gram-negative bacterial surface display of foreign polypeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fantappiè
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Carmela Irene
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Micaela De Santis
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Alessandro Armini
- §Functional Proteomics Lab., Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Assunta Gagliardi
- §Functional Proteomics Lab., Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Michele Tomasi
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Matteo Parri
- ¶Toscana Life Sciences Scientific Park, Via Fiorentina, 1 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Valeria Cafardi
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Serena Bonomi
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Luisa Ganfini
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Francesca Zerbini
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Ilaria Zanella
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy
| | - Chiara Carnemolla
- §Functional Proteomics Lab., Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Luca Bini
- §Functional Proteomics Lab., Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Alberto Grandi
- ¶Toscana Life Sciences Scientific Park, Via Fiorentina, 1 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Guido Grandi
- From the ‡Synthetic and Structural Vaccinology Unit, CIBIO, University of Trento, Via Sommarive, 9, 38123 Povo, Trento, Italy;
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19
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Hooda Y, Shin HE, Bateman TJ, Moraes TF. Neisserial surface lipoproteins: structure, function and biogenesis. Pathog Dis 2017; 75:2966469. [PMID: 28158534 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftx010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The surface of many Gram-negative bacteria contains lipidated protein molecules referred to as surface lipoproteins or SLPs. SLPs play critical roles in host immune evasion, nutrient acquisition and regulation of the bacterial stress response. The focus of this review is on the SLPs present in Neisseria, a genus of bacteria that colonise the mucosal surfaces of animals. Neisseria contains two pathogens of medical interest, namely Neisseria meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae. Several SLPs have been identified in Neisseria and their study has elucidated key strategies used by these pathogens to survive inside the human body. Herein, we focus on the identification, structure and function of SLPs that have been identified in Neisseria. We also survey the translocation pathways used by these SLPs to reach the cell surface. Specifically, we elaborate on the strategies used by neisserial SLPs to translocate across the outer membrane with an emphasis on Slam, a novel outer membrane protein that has been implicated in SLP biogenesis. Taken together, the study of SLPs in Neisseria illustrates the widespread roles played by this family of proteins in Gram-negative bacteria.
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20
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Toneatto D, Pizza M, Masignani V, Rappuoli R. Emerging experience with meningococcal serogroup B protein vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2017; 16:433-451. [PMID: 28375029 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2017.1308828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The successful development of two broadly protective vaccines targeting Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB); 4CMenB and rLP2086, is the most significant recent advance in meningococcal disease prevention. Areas covered: Here we review the principles underlying the development of each vaccine and the novel methods used to estimate vaccine coverage. We update clinical and post-licensure experience with 4CMenB and rLP2086. Expert commentary: The immunogenicity and acceptable safety profile of 4CMenB and rLP2086 has been demonstrated in clinical trials. Continuing uncertainties exist around the appropriate age groups to be immunized, the degree and duration of efficacy, and the impact on nasopharyngeal carriage which has implications for strategies to interrupt transmission and maximize herd protection effects. Universal vaccination programs such as those undertaken in Quebec and the United Kingdom are providing important information on these issues. The potential for MenB vaccines to prevent infection by other serogroups appears promising, and the impact of MenB vaccines on other pathogenic neisserial species with similar surface proteins warrants further investigation.
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21
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Vacca I, Del Tordello E, Gasperini G, Pezzicoli A, Di Fede M, Rossi Paccani S, Marchi S, Mubaiwa TD, Hartley-Tassell LE, Jennings MP, Seib KL, Masignani V, Pizza M, Serruto D, Aricò B, Delany I. Neisserial Heparin Binding Antigen (NHBA) Contributes to the Adhesion of Neisseria meningitidis to Human Epithelial Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162878. [PMID: 27780200 PMCID: PMC5079597 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisserial Heparin Binding Antigen (NHBA) is a surface-exposed lipoprotein ubiquitously expressed by Neisseria meningitidis strains and an antigen of the Bexsero® vaccine. NHBA binds heparin through a conserved Arg-rich region that is the target of two proteases, the meningococcal NalP and human lactoferrin (hLf). In this work, in vitro studies showed that recombinant NHBA protein was able to bind epithelial cells and mutations of the Arg-rich tract abrogated this binding. All N-terminal and C-terminal fragments generated by NalP or hLf cleavage, regardless of the presence or absence of the Arg-rich region, did not bind to cells, indicating that a correct positioning of the Arg-rich region within the full length protein is crucial. Moreover, binding was abolished when cells were treated with heparinase III, suggesting that this interaction is mediated by heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). N. meningitidis nhba knockout strains showed a significant reduction in adhesion to epithelial cells with respect to isogenic wild-type strains and adhesion of the wild-type strain was inhibited by anti-NHBA antibodies in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, the results demonstrate that NHBA contributes to meningococcal adhesion to epithelial cells through binding to HSPGs and suggest a possible role of anti-Bexsero® antibodies in the prevention of colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Tsisti D. Mubaiwa
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Michael P. Jennings
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kate L. Seib
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
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22
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Wong CT, Xu Y, Gupta A, Garnett JA, Matthews SJ, Hare SA. Structural analysis of haemoglobin binding by HpuA from the Neisseriaceae family. Nat Commun 2015; 6:10172. [PMID: 26671256 PMCID: PMC4703857 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The Neisseriaceae family of bacteria causes a range of diseases including meningitis, septicaemia, gonorrhoea and endocarditis, and extracts haem from haemoglobin as an important iron source within the iron-limited environment of its human host. Herein we report crystal structures of apo- and haemoglobin-bound HpuA, an essential component of this haem import system. The interface involves long loops on the bacterial receptor that present hydrophobic side chains for packing against the surface of haemoglobin. Interestingly, our structural and biochemical analyses of Kingella denitrificans and Neisseria gonorrhoeae HpuA mutants, although validating the interactions observed in the crystal structure, show how Neisseriaceae have the fascinating ability to diversify functional sequences and yet retain the haemoglobin binding function. Our results present the first description of HpuA's role in direct binding of haemoglobin. The Neisseriaceae bacteria family extract heame from the haemoglobin of its host, the HpuA protein is part of this system. Here, the authors report crystal structures of apo- and haemoglobin-bound HpuA and analyse mutants to examine the interaction between HpuA and haemoglobin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi T Wong
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Yingqi Xu
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Akshari Gupta
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - James A Garnett
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Steve J Matthews
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Stephen A Hare
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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23
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Meningococcal B Vaccination (4CMenB) in Infants and Toddlers. J Immunol Res 2015; 2015:402381. [PMID: 26351647 PMCID: PMC4553319 DOI: 10.1155/2015/402381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a Gram-negative pathogen that actively invades its human host and leads to the development of life-threatening pathologies. One of the leading causes of death in the world, N. meningitidis can be responsible for nearly 1,000 new infections per 100,000 subjects during an epidemic period. The bacterial species are classified into 12 serogroups, five of which (A, B, C, W, and Y) cause the majority of meningitides. The three purified protein conjugate vaccines currently available target serogroups A, C, W, and Y. Serogroup B has long been a challenge but the discovery of the complete genome sequence of an MenB strain has allowed the development of a specific four-component vaccine (4CMenB). This review describes the pathogenetic role of N. meningitidis and the recent literature concerning the new meningococcal vaccine.
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24
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Donnarumma D, Golfieri G, Brier S, Castagnini M, Veggi D, Bottomley MJ, Delany I, Norais N. Neisseria meningitis GNA1030 is a ubiquinone-8 binding protein. FASEB J 2015; 29:2260-7. [PMID: 25713028 DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-263954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Bexsero, a new vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB), is composed of 3 main recombinant proteins and an outer membrane vesicle component. One of the main bactericidal antigens, neisseria heparin binding antigen (NHBA), is present as a fusion protein with the accessory protein genome-derived neisserial antigen (GNA) 1030 to further increase its immunogenicity. The gene encoding for GNA1030 is present and highly conserved in all Neisseria strains, and although orthologs are present in numerous species, its biologic function is unknown. Native mass spectrometry was used to demonstrate that GNA1030 forms a homodimer associated with 2 molecules of ubiquinone-8 (Ub8), a cofactor mainly involved in the electron transport chain and with antioxidant properties. Disc diffusion assays on the wild-type and knockout mutant of GNA1030, in the presence of various compounds, suggested that GNA1030 is not involved in oxidative stress or electron chain transport per se, although it contributes to constitutive refilling of the inner membrane with Ub8. These studies shed light on an accessory protein present in Bexsero and reveal functional insights into the family of related proteins. On the basis of our findings, we propose to name the protein neisseria ubiquinone binding protein (NUbp).
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25
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Hoppe S, Bier FF, von Nickisch-Rosenegk M. Identification of antigenic proteins of the nosocomial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110703. [PMID: 25333280 PMCID: PMC4205017 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The continuous expansion of nosocomial infections around the globe has become a precarious situation. Key challenges include mounting dissemination of multiple resistances to antibiotics, the easy transmission and the growing mortality rates of hospital-acquired bacterial diseases. Thus, new ways to rapidly detect these infections are vital. Consequently, researchers around the globe pursue innovative approaches for point-of-care devices. In many cases the specific interaction of an antigen and a corresponding antibody is pivotal. However, the knowledge about suitable antigens is lacking. The aim of this study was to identify novel antigens as specific diagnostic markers. Additionally, these proteins might be aptly used for the generation of vaccines to improve current treatment options. Hence, a cDNA-based expression library was constructed and screened via microarrays to detect novel antigens of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a prominent agent of nosocomial infections well-known for its extensive antibiotics resistance, especially by extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL). After screening 1536 clones, 14 previously unknown immunogenic proteins were identified. Subsequently, each protein was expressed in full-length and its immunodominant character examined by ELISA and microarray analyses. Consequently, six proteins were selected for epitope mapping and three thereof possessed linear epitopes. After specificity analysis, homology survey and 3d structural modelling, one epitope sequence GAVVALSTTFA of KPN_00363, an ion channel protein, was identified harboring specificity for K. pneumoniae. The remaining epitopes showed ambiguous results regarding the specificity for K. pneumoniae. The approach adopted herein has been successfully utilized to discover novel antigens of Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella enterica antigens before. Now, we have transferred this knowledge to the key nosocomial agent, K. pneumoniae. By identifying several novel antigens and their linear epitope sites, we have paved the way for crucial future research and applications including the design of point-of-care devices, vaccine development and serological screenings for a highly relevant nosocomial pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Hoppe
- Department of Bioanalytics and Biosensorics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
| | - Frank F. Bier
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Biosystem Integration and Automation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocess (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
| | - Markus von Nickisch-Rosenegk
- Department of Bioanalytics and Biosensorics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
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26
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Fleury C, Su YC, Hallström T, Sandblad L, Zipfel PF, Riesbeck K. Identification of a Haemophilus influenzae factor H-Binding lipoprotein involved in serum resistance. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 192:5913-23. [PMID: 24835392 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1303449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Haemophilus influenzae is a Gram-negative human pathogen that resides in the upper respiratory tract. Encapsulated H. influenzae type b (Hib) and type f (Hif) are the most common serotypes associated with invasive disease. H. influenzae displays various strategies to circumvent the host innate immune response, including the bactericidal effect of the complement system. In this study, we identified an H. influenzae lipoprotein having the ability to bind factor H (FH), the major regulator of the alternative pathway of complement activation. This protein, named protein H (PH), was surface exposed and was found in all clinical Hib and Hif isolates tested. Deletion of the gene encoding for PH (lph) in Hib and Hif significantly reduced the interaction between bacteria and FH. When Hib and Hif PH variants were separately expressed in nontypeable (unencapsulated) H. influenzae, which did not bind FH, an increased FH affinity was observed. We recombinantly expressed the two PH variants in Escherichia coli, and despite sharing only 56% identical amino acids, both FH-binding Haemophilus proteins similarly interacted with the complement regulator FH short consensus repeats 7 and 18-20. Importantly, Hib and Hif resistance against the bactericidal effect of human serum was significantly reduced when bacterial mutants devoid of PH were tested. In conclusion, we have characterized a hitherto unknown bacterial protein that is crucial for mediating an interaction between the human pathogen H. influenzae and FH. This novel interaction is important for H. influenzae resistance against complement activation and will consequently promote bacterial pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Fleury
- Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine Malmö, Lund University, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Yu-Ching Su
- Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine Malmö, Lund University, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Teresia Hallström
- Department of Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Faculty of Biology, Friedrich Schiller University, 07745 Jena, Germany; and
| | - Linda Sandblad
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umea, Sweden
| | - Peter F Zipfel
- Department of Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Faculty of Biology, Friedrich Schiller University, 07745 Jena, Germany; and
| | - Kristian Riesbeck
- Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine Malmö, Lund University, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden;
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27
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Panatto D, Amicizia D, Lai PL, Cristina ML, Domnich A, Gasparini R. New versus old meningococcal group B vaccines: how the new ones may benefit infants & toddlers. Indian J Med Res 2013; 138:835-46. [PMID: 24521624 PMCID: PMC3978970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis is associated with high mortality and high disability rates and mainly affects children under one year of age. Vaccination is the best way to prevent meningococcal disease, especially in infants and toddlers. The introduction of massive meningococcal serogroup C vaccination has drastically reduced the incidence of disease caused by this serogroup, and serogroup B has now become the main causative agent in several industrialized countries. The first serogroup B vaccines, which were used for more than two decades, were based on outer membrane vesicles and proved to be protective only against specific epidemic strains in Cuba, Norway, Brazil and New Zealand. Moreover, these often elicited a scant immune response in young children. Innovative genomics-based reverse vaccinology subsequently enabled researchers to identify genes encoding for surface proteins that are able to elicit a strong immune response against several B strains. This important discovery led to the development and recent approval in Europe of the four-component meningococcal serogroup B (4CMenB) vaccine. Large clinical trials have shown high immunogenicity and tolerability and acceptable safety levels of 4CMenB in infants and toddlers. This vaccine is expected to cover a large number of circulating invasive strains and may also be efficacious against other serogroups. Young children are particularly vulnerable to the devastating consequences of meningococcal disease. Given the high performance of 4CMenB and its non-interference with routine vaccinations, this age-group will be the first to benefit from the introduction of this vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Panatto
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy,Reprint requests: Dr D. Panatto, Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, via Pastore 1-16132, Genoa, Italy e-mail:
| | - D. Amicizia
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - PL. Lai
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - ML. Cristina
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - A. Domnich
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - R. Gasparini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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28
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Reckel S, Hiller S. Perspectives of solution NMR spectroscopy for structural and functional studies of integral membrane proteins. Mol Phys 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2013.783639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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29
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Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B vaccine development. Microb Pathog 2013; 57:33-40. [PMID: 23416222 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2013.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is an air-borne, gram-negative pathogen that actively invades its human host leading to the development of life-threatening pathologies. As one of the leading causes of death in the world, during an epidemic period N. meningitidis can be responsible for nearly 1000 new infections per 100,000 individuals. The bacterial species is further categorized into 13 serotypes, with five, A, B, C, W-135, and Y, being the most clinically relevant, causing the overwhelming majority of diseases. There are two contemporary, purified protein conjugate vaccines available that function by targeting serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y. Historically, serogroup B has posed a vaccination challenge; however, there are currently two vaccines in development able to target serotype B. This review will highlight N. meningitidis as a pathogen and explore the recent literature providing a current review of meningococcal vaccination development.
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30
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Veggi D, Gentile MA, Cantini F, Lo Surdo P, Nardi-Dei V, Seib KL, Pizza M, Rappuoli R, Banci L, Savino S, Scarselli M. The factor H binding protein of Neisseria meningitidis interacts with xenosiderophores in vitro. Biochemistry 2012; 51:9384-93. [PMID: 23121397 DOI: 10.1021/bi301161w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The factor H binding protein (fHbp) is a key virulence factor of Neisseria meningitidis that confers to the bacterium the ability to resist killing by human serum. The determination of its three-dimensional structure revealed that the carboxyl terminus of the protein folds into an eight-stranded β barrel. The structural similarity of this part of the protein to lipocalins provided the rationale for exploring the ability of fHbp to bind siderophores. We found that fHbp was able to bind in vitro siderophores belonging to the cathecolate family and mapped the interaction site by nuclear magnetic resonance. Our results indicated that the enterobactin binding site was distinct from the site involved in binding to human factor H and stimulates new hypotheses about possible multiple activities of fHbp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Veggi
- Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Via Fiorentina 1, Siena, Italy
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31
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The new multicomponent vaccine against meningococcal serogroup B, 4CMenB: immunological, functional and structural characterization of the antigens. Vaccine 2012; 30 Suppl 2:B87-97. [PMID: 22607904 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 277] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2011] [Revised: 01/09/2012] [Accepted: 01/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of endemic cases and epidemics of meningitis and devastating septicemia. Although effective vaccines exist for several serogroups of pathogenic N. meningitidis, conventional vaccinology approaches have failed to provide a universal solution for serogroup B (MenB) which consequently remains an important burden of disease worldwide. The advent of whole-genome sequencing changed the approach to vaccine development, enabling the identification of potential vaccine candidates starting directly with the genomic information, with a process named reverse vaccinology. The application of reverse vaccinology to MenB allowed the identification of new protein antigens able to induce bactericidal antibodies. Three highly immunogenic antigens (fHbp, NadA and NHBA) were combined with outer membrane vesicles and formulated for human use in a multicomponent vaccine, named 4CMenB. This is the first MenB vaccine based on recombinant proteins able to elicit a robust bactericidal immune response in adults, adolescents and infants against a broad range of serogroup B isolates. This review describes the successful story of the development of the 4CMenB vaccine, with particular emphasis on the functional, immunological and structural characterization of the protein antigens included in the vaccine.
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32
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Martino A, Magagnoli C, De Conciliis G, D’Ascenzi S, Forster MJ, Allen L, Brookes C, Taylor S, Bai X, Findlow J, Feavers IM, Rodger A, Bolgiano B. Structural characterisation, stability and antibody recognition of chimeric NHBA-GNA1030: An investigational vaccine component against Neisseria meningitidis. Vaccine 2012; 30:1330-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.12.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2011] [Revised: 12/03/2011] [Accepted: 12/14/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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